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Kissing Christmas Goodbye (Agatha Raisin Mysteries, No. 18) | 
 enlarge | Author: M. C. Beaton
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Category: Book
List Price: $23.95
Buy Used: $0.83
You Save: $23.12 (97%)
New (49) Used (45) Collectible (3) from $0.83
Rating:  20 reviews
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.5 x 1
ISBN: 0312349114
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN: 9780312349110
Publication Date: October 2, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Standard used condition.
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Product Description
Unlike quite a number of people, Agatha had not given up on Christmas. To have the perfect Christmas had been a childhood dream whilst surviving a rough upbringing in a Birmingham slum. Holly berries glistened, snow fell gently outside, and inside, all was Dickensian jollity. And in her dreams, James Lacey kissed her under the mistletoe, and, like a middle-aged sleeping beauty, she would awake to passion once more.... Agatha Raisin is bored. Her detective agency in the Cotswolds is thriving, but she’ll scream if she has to deal with another missing cat or dog. Only two things seem to offer potential excitement: the upcoming Christmas festivities and her ex, James Lacey. This year she is sure that if she invites James to a really splendid, old-fashioned Christmas dinner, their love will rekindle like a warm Yule log.
When a wealthy widow hires Agatha because she’s convinced a member of her family is trying to kill her, Agatha is intrigued---especially when the widow drops dead after high tea at the manor house. Who in this rather sterile house, complete with fake family portraits, could have hated the old lady enough to poison her?
Agatha sets out to find the murderer, all the while managing a pretty, teenage trainee who makes her feel old and planning for a picture-perfect Christmas, with James, all the trimmings, and perhaps even snow.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Be careful what you wish for...... August 7, 2008
Jeanne Tassotto (Trapped in the Midwest)
Agatha Raisin had had many dreams in her life - to get out of the Birmingham slum she had grown up in, to be a success in the London PR business, to move to a cottage in the Cotswolds, to find her true love and to celebrate a perfect, traditional Christmas. Overall she had been able to achieve most of her dreams, only the last two have alluded her. To that end she has decided to start planning her prefect Christmas party in early October with her once (and hopefully future husband, James Lacey) heading the guest list.
While not making plans for her perfect party Agatha has kept busy with her detective agency, so busy in fact that she had to hire a new employee, the young, pretty Toni who reminded Agatha in many ways of her own horrific family life. Soon Agatha found herself dealing in her own special way with dysfunctional families on all sides, both Toni's and her client's.
As always in this series the real attraction is not the mystery but the private lives of Agatha and her ever expanding circle of friends. While Agatha might be hot on the trail of her dead client's murderer the readers are more interested in finding out if Agatha will have her perfect Christmas or reunite with the elusive James. Fans of this series will delight in this latest addition, but those looking for a serious hardcore puzzler will be disappointed. Those unfamiliar with the series but fans of the cozy genre will probably want to start at the beginning, AGATHA RAISIN AND THE QUICHE OF DEATH and work their way through all eighteen (and still growing) in this series.
Agatha is Back! June 2, 2008
CJ - MO (Missouri, USA)
I loved this book! Agatha was in top form in "Kissing Christmas Goodbye". I really liked the new character of Toni and hope that she plays a part in the next book as well. Without giving anything away, I will say that the ending was great and I was happy to see Sir Charles and Roy do something nice for Agatha for a change.
Agatha Grows Up! May 16, 2008
Jim Hughes
I have always found Agatha Raisin entertaining, however, her ridiculous inability to break free from James Lacey and her imagination of her self as she might have been at 20 both get a brilliant clean out in this novel.
And not before time. They were probably the most irritating aspects of this female sleuth.
What a delight to find that she has gained her emotional freedom and a maturity.
Her inward battles with the youth and success of Toni are another great aspect of this work. At last there is another strong female character to provide balance and objectivity in what sometimes threatened to be a self consuming series.
Both these elements and the continual surprises so welcome from M C Beaton, make this an excellent read.
More power to the new Agatha and I await her further evolution.
Agatha Raisin is so likeable! April 9, 2008
LH (Eastern seaboard)
I just love the Agatha Raisin books; they are perfect for reading in a night or so, curled up and ready to get into a good story.
What I think I like best about these books are the characters. They're flawed and very likeable, *because* they're flawed! Agatha's tough and obviously gets on better with guys than girls as most of her good friends are guys but under the toughness she's vulnerable and scared about growing old...like me!!
Highly recommended.
M C Beaton - Kissing Christmas Goodbye March 3, 2008
Carol A. Williams (Wales United Kingdom.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
M.C. Beaton, and her star character Agatha Raisin, never fails to enthrall and amuse. This one, again was a good relaxing treat, with enough mystery to keep you on your toes. I buy my hard back copies of her work from Amazon, because they have an earlier release date than the UK.
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